1 Corinthians 3:16-17 – Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Gratitude Day 841

Self-care. Oh, this is one of those topics that can be very difficult. Some people LOVE self-care. Others? Not so much.

For years, no decades, I was in the not-so-much category. I was convinced that if I just kept going, plowing through my to-do lists and all that I felt I NEEDED to do, life would be good. These were also the days when I was not clear about what I felt I “needed” to do versus consulting with God and gaining some perspective on what is most important for me to do.

Fast forward a couple decades: I still struggle with self-care. But as I get older (yes, I am definitely in the “older” category), I am now clearly in the self-care camp. Why? Because I want to operate from a place in my life where I am giving from the best of me rather than the depleted, struggling me. Let me be clear: there are still plenty of days and weeks when I feel more depleted than I would like. But I am also much clearer that I am better at serving God, helping others and fulfilling God’s call in my life when my heart and soul are more full than empty. When I am empty, I  share with no one my best self, including me.  

This is why I am more careful and intentional about building self-care into my days and weeks. I think it is especially important to have some ideas of what self-care works for you BEFORE you are depleted. Just giving yourself moments of care and rest can really prevent yourself from becoming completely depleted.

Today, I am sharing 14 ways to care for yourself. Most of these ideas can be done in a short period of time. Less than an hour. Most of us feel too strapped to dedicated a bunch of time to self-care on a daily basis. But we can find a few moments or minutes to stop and fill our hearts and souls. Here are some of the ways I do this.

Begin the day with a bit of “me” time. I have tried to do this regularly for years. During COVID, I made this a huge priority and have been extremely consistent with this since. I like to journal as part of this time just for me. I know journaling isn’t for everyone. You get to choose! What can you do in your “me” time? Read a bit of scripture. Even just a few verses of a gospel or a psalm are a great place to start. I also read a chapter of a non-fiction book. This could be something that I am researching or wanting to learn more about. It could be a book that I am using in another capacity. I call this “spiritual” reading. I have read a wide variety of books and will share some book ideas in another post soon. If you don’t have time for a chapter, just read a few pages. Then, I write down three things I am grateful that I have experienced in the last 24 hours. I identify my three top priorities for the day. I end my morning “me” time in prayer. I like to write my prayer but you do you.

This routine has served me well. Some days, it is short, maybe 10 minutes long. Other days, I give myself more time. This is the way I begin my day, along with a cup of coffee. I prefer this and am committed to this. If I skip my “me” time, I know this ALL. DAY. LONG.

Move your body. Science says moving our bodies releases a bunch of endorphins which make us feel better. Truth? Exercise does not release all those good endorphins for me like it does for Hubby Rick. Yet, I am committed to moving my body daily. I do a variety of things. Some days I run. Other days, I walk. A few times a week, Hubby Rick and I walk through our neighborhood in the evening. I lift weights several days a week. If my body is feeling tight, I do a short online yoga routine.

God views our bodies as temples. We only get one temple. We should treat our temple carefully. Respect it. Honor it. This includes moving it. Do something that you enjoy or that works for you. If you have limited mobility, there are still so many great options. Do a quick online search. Commit to just 10 minutes a day. This is how we care for your temples.

Drink a glass of water. Repeat this throughout the day. While the coffee is brewing in the morning, I drink a glass of water. Then, I have another glass while doing my “me” time. I keep water with me nearly always.  

For those of us who are emotional eaters, sometimes a glass of water is what we really need more than food. If get bored with plain water, add a slice of lemon or a little bit of juice or ice tea (peach is my favorite). Too many people do not drink enough water in a day. This is another basic way to care for our temples. Your doctor will thank you as well.

Get outside into nature. About a week ago, I went to a local park with a body of water. I sat near the water and slowed down. The past few weeks have been so full. My heart and soul needed a break. It was long overdue. I actually got a bit emotional when I realized how much I needed this as I sat down near the lake, closed my eyes and just let myself be. I promised myself that I will not let such a long period of time go by again before I make this a priority. Hike if you want. Or just sit. Either is OK.

Call a friend. Like, have a real conversation. Not a text conversation.

Meet someone for coffee, lunch or ice cream. Sharing what is going on in our lives is so cathartic. Seriously.

Listen to a favorite song. The great thing about YouTube? You can quickly and easily find a recording of just about any song. P.S. – It is OK to listen to your same favorite song multiple times in a row, says the person who does this regularly. Close your eyes. Listen.

Water your flowers and/or plants. Fresh flowers and plants may not have the same appeal to everyone. For those of us who love them? Take a few minutes, check them out, chat with them and care for them. You are caring your soul at the same time.

Read a fun book. I read fiction books in the evening, at the end of the day. Just a few pages is refreshing.

Take a bubble bath. This is one of my go-to self-care things. It usually also involves reading that fun book. I LOVE to end my day this way. It’s my favorite end-of-day routine. If you aren’t a bath person, take a shower. There is something about hot water and letting your body know it’s time to sleep.

Take a 15-minute nap. Hubby Rick perfected this years ago. He worked nights for many years. And he often took a 15-minute nap before he went to work. It really made a huge difference for him. We are often actually more productive after we’ve taken a short nap instead of plowing through our work. Our brain is clearer and more rested as well.

Use your favorite lotion on your hands and feet. After I do it, I smell the scent and it refreshes me. I’m ready to get back to what is pressing.

Look at a favorite picture and recall the memory this invokes. Why do we keep favorite pictures in our living space? Because they invoke some special memory. Need a quick pick-me-up? Look at one of those pictures. Remember the events surrounding it. Smile and be thankful.

Take a minute and smell your favorite scent. One of my favorite smells? Coffee. Sometimes, I just hold the cup of coffee in my hands and drink in the scent. Your favorite scent is not readily available? Find a candle with this scent. Smell is a powerful tool. It helps us recall memories and events. Just even a few minutes drinking in your favorite scent can relax you significantly.

Make a list. Sometimes our brains are so full of various thoughts and ideas. Writing them down allows us to release them and not have to keep track of them all in our head. Knowing they are captured someplace gives us bandwidth to not have to hold them in our brain.

Take a break. Do something that brings you joy. Watch a movie. Play a game. Go fishing. Do something that puts a smile on your face. Come back refreshed and revived.

I have a friend you regularly texts me, “Remember to take some time for Dianne.” Friend – please hear me encourage you to take some time for yourself. Our temples, our bodies – we only get one version of them. They are not indestructible. Just like a car needs tune-ups and oil changes, new tires and brakes, our temples need the same things. Self-care are tune-ups for our hearts and souls. They refresh us and restore us. We are the caretakers for our bodies. Therefore, it IS our responsibility to care of our bodies just as carefully as we would for any other special item.

Self-care are those things that I can do throughout my day and week to remind myself that I am amazing. I am special. God has great things for me (and you!) to do! But we can only do this when our hearts and souls are not depleted. Overdrawn. Out of gas.

How do you refresh your soul? Gain more bandwidth? I’d love to hear your little ideas of how to add some goodness back to your temple.  

For the reminder that self-care is super important, I am very grateful.

Blessings –

Dianne

Loving God – Thank you for making me special and amazing. And for this wonderful body that you have equipped me with. Help me take care of my temple well. May I operate out of the abundance of a full tank and not a depleted one. Amen.

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